She drew so close he could have simply lowered his head to claim her mouth. The hairs on his body prickled with awareness. The need to lash her to his body and beg her with his tongue to give him a second chance boiled his blood.

He clamped his hands into fists.

When Zoe Beth took a step back, she helped him reclaim some of his sanity. He needed to keep his distance from her, or he’d land himself on the other side of the Cole Ranch boundary—on his ass.

She raked her fingers through her silky hair and stole his mind all over again. “I heard the guys talking. You need to act normal.”

He shook his head. “Normal? I haven’t said anything about the other night—”

“Shhh! You ass, be quiet before someone hears you!” She curled her hand around his forearm, sending a spike of want straight to his cock. It stretched instantly.

“What are you talking about?” His tone was harsher than he wanted—gritty.

“I heard some of the guys talking. They said you were flighty. Prowling the ranch at night and not sleeping.”

“That’s because of you, dammit.”

“If you’re not careful—” Her eyes flared wide. “Because of me?”

“Yes, goddammit. I can’t think of anything but that night with you in the barn and how I should have finished it. How much I want to finish it.” The roughness in his voice changed pitch, burning low to match the cravings of his body.

“I…I’m trying to save you from losing your job.”

Sinking in the depths of her eyes, he closed the last fraction between their bodies and hooked an arm around her. She tried to wiggle away, but he planted a palm on her ass and held her.

“I’m not going to lose my job for working hard day and night, which is what I’ve been doing, sweetheart. The only thing that’s going to get me kicked off the ranch is this.” He claimed her mouth.

The first brush of her lips stole all rational thought. Suddenly he didn’t care that they were out in broad daylight right behind the house where anyone could spy them. All he wanted was Zoe Beth’s sweet mouth, her tongue moving with his.

She reacted by swaying into his kiss, opening her mouth to his invasion. But at the first sweep of his tongue, she yanked free. Stumbling away a few steps she raised trembling fingers to her lips. “No. Just no,” she whispered.

He closed the gap between them again, catching her around the waist. He nuzzled her throat. “I shouldn’t have walked away from you that night. I’ve regretted it every second since.”

A shiver coursed through her. “Every second?” Her voice rushed past his ear, a weak version of her usual throaty tone.

He closed his eyes, filling his head with her delectable scents. “Every…” He licked her earlobe. “Damn…” Ran his tongue down the column of her throat. “Second.” Flicked a path along her collarbone.

She melted in his arms. “I’ve thought about it every damn second too.”

A growl left him, and he lifted his head to capture her lips once again. The kiss spiraled out of control, a carnal meshing of tongues and lips and teeth. He rocked his erection against her pussy, raising a moan from her. He walked her backward and trapped her against the wall of the house.

Bracing his hands on either side of her chest, he continued to plunder her soft lips.

“Stop,” she murmured.

“You don’t want that.”

“No, but there are things to be said.”

True.

“And we can’t do this here. Now.”

She’s right.

He pulled back. As soon as she was free, she paced away from him until they stood about ten yards apart.

Across the sun-dappled lawn, they stared at each other. “Tonight,” he said.

She nodded. “At Five Feet’s stall.”

A grin stretched across his face. “The calf’s doing well.”

Joy flitted across her features. “She is.” Tripod wandered into the backyard and ran up to Zoe Beth. Darting a glance at the dog, she said, “I’d better go.”

He gave a nod. “Go but don’t think about standing me up. If you do, I’ll come into the house after you.”

She spun on her heel and flounced farther away. “You try it, and I’ll sic my dog on you.”

As she walked away, he watched her round ass sway, then allowed his gaze to travel down each tanned leg. “I’m not afraid of your dog, sweetheart.”

“Not now that you know you won’t need rabies shots.” She turned the corner, out of sight. But she was still within earshot.

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